Final walk for missing Sask. Indigenous woman begins as search for information continues

Family and supporters of a missing Saskatchewan woman gathered at the Saskatoon Police Service headquarters Friday morning to start their fourth and final walk in her honour.

The walk from Saskatoon to North Battleford aims to bring hope and awareness about the disappearance of Ashley.

Morin, 31, was last seen on July 10th, 2018 on the corner of 96th Street and 16th Avenue in North Battleford at around 9:30 p.m.

RCMP believes Morin was a victim of a homicide. The Morin family says there have been hundreds of tips, but nothing substantial to bring her home.

A ceremony was held before the walk and started with speeches from family, Indigenous leaders and Saskatoon police chief Troy Cooper.

Mike Bird, Morin’s cousin, says the walk is about bringing family together. The family describes Morin as someone who loved sports and family gatherings.

“We give each other love and strength and the power to walk together as family and friends, and Ashley did that for us,” Bird said.

Bird says while it's the fourth and final year, the family isn’t giving up hope. While Bird read a letter from Morin’s father Lyndon during the ceremony, tears and sobs could be heard from people gathering.

“It’s been four years since my youngest girl went missing. It feels like yesterday because the pain does not go away. Time does not heal all the pain or erase the memories I have of my baby,” Bird said on behalf of Lyndon.

His letter read that the family has their suspicions about who is responsible and involved in Morin’s disappearance but must wait for “solid proof.”

“Please someone, come forward and let us have my baby back. I’m hurt, I’m angry and I have such an empty space in my heart that I never ever wanted to have and now it lives in me,” the letter read.

Cooper says there are people in the community and province who have information that might help bring Ashley home. The family is offering a $25,000 reward.

Dorothea Swiftwolfe with victim services at Saskatoon Police Service says the community needs to “break the silence” as Morin’s family is going through the pain and heartbreak of their missing loved one.

The group walking to honour Morin is expected to reach North Battleford by the end of the weekend.